Diary of a fan – Champions League Final & The Liverpool Way of Life

The biggest day of my life as a Liverpool fan is here. We face Real Madrid in the Champions League final at Kyiv. It has been pretty emotional for me since we booked the date with history on May 2nd. To give a little perspective, let us go back 11 years ago.

When You Walk Through a Storm…

I vaguely remember starting to watch football in 2007. There is a single memory of knowing that an English team, Liverpool, lost the Champions League final to AC Milan through a news channel. A few months later, watching Liverpool lose to Manchester United made me a Reds fan.

Since then, all my football buddies who support every other top club have seen major success. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Chelsea & Bayern Munich fans have all tasted domestic as well as European success. Hell, even for all the misery, Arsenal fans have a bunch of FA Cups to look at. However, Liverpool just lifted the Carling Cup back in 2012 in these 11 years. So, my wait went on.

The pain of not competing for top prizes did hurt but it also ingrained the most important aspect of Liverpool Football Club – this is a way of life. Over the years, this club has become much more than an interest or just a football team. The club and its traditions are going to outlast me, success will keep coming and going and football will be played until the world’s end.

At The End Of The Storm…

So, all I feel are joy and privilege. A privilege to watch the beautiful game week in, week out. A privilege to feel the Liver bird in my veins. And joy to be a Liverpool supporter until the end. The club has made me a better human, its values echo mine and the various ups & downs over the years teach life itself.

Everything about Liverpool goes deeper than supporting a team because I love the game or to take a side in discussions. There has not been a single day since 2007 without a Liverpool thought, and there will not be such a day until the end.

Some were happy thoughts, some were sadder thoughts. However, this changed when a certain Jurgen Norbert Klopp entered to etch his chapter in every supporters’ life.

And The Sweet Silver Song…

If there is a living embodiment of the Liverpool way, then it is Klopp. The phrase “perfect fit” does not even do justice to how well he “gets” the club. Everything he speaks and does screams passion, love and football – just like Liverpool Football Club.

The German is not just building a team but a legacy. He is hell-bent on keeping his promise of taking us back to the top and here we stand at the first major milestone of his passion & determination – UEFA Champions League Final.

You’ll Never Walk Alone

This is the biggest match personally since I started watching football. I always dreamt of such nights & finally, I get to be a part of one. We are facing the greatest team in the competition and we are underdogs as we always are. I understand the tactics, the weaknesses and the possibilities but I have no idea how this will turn out.

All I know is that this has been one helluva season with such amazing memories and everyone associated with Liverpool Football Club will give their all tonight. This is going to be the biggest night of my footballing life & I am going to feel every bit of it.

The emotions will be raw because they are real. We could win, we could lose but these two hours will stay etched forever. So, it is time to feel privileged once again adopting the Liverpool way of life. Hopefully, at the end of the night, the Big-Eared piece of silverware will shine in the Golden Sky & that is a new feeling I would love to experience.